


Find a Way to Let Me Down Slowly

by sec982



Series: Telling People [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternative Universe - No Island, F/M, Felicity Smoak is a Merlyn, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:13:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27226357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sec982/pseuds/sec982
Summary: Oliver and Felicity have been dating in secret, but when they get engaged they know they're going to have to start telling people. They know though that Tommy, Felicity's older brother, and Oliver's best friend, won't take it well.
Relationships: Laurel Lance/Tommy Merlyn, Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak
Series: Telling People [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987759
Comments: 148
Kudos: 501





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [One Small Hitch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4402646) by [sprstarinfrance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sprstarinfrance/pseuds/sprstarinfrance). 



“Felicity,” Oliver whispered. One hand was holding back her hair, the other rubbing small circles on her shoulders and neck. She gagged again over the toilet and he cut himself off. They were sitting on the floor of her bathroom and it was late. None of her roommates were home. Not that they would have been bothered if they were. Felicity had the master suite and hence her own bathroom, but still. Oliver was grateful to not have to deal with concerned knocking from her roommate Caitlin, who was in medical school.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, shifting back and sitting against his chest. He released her hair and ran his hands down her arms instead. “It’s just food poisoning.”

“You said that five days ago.”

“Food poisoning can last that long.”

“We agreed that after five days-”

“I remember,” she snapped, cutting him off. “But it’s not necessary.”

“You got your period?”

“No, but I took plan B after the incident.”

He winced at her phrasing. 

“They said that it wasn’t as effective as if the condom hadn’t broken,” he reminded her. “We need to acknowledge the possibility that-”

“Don’t say it,” she growled. He let it drop, hanging between them like a noose or executioner’s ax. 

“It’s not that I don’t want it,” she confessed, playing with her left-hand ring finger. He smiled at her nervous tick, loving she still did that even when the ring was on the bedside table. “It’s just that I’m still only halfway through grad school.”

“I know.”

“And I’ve been working so hard for this after Malcolm cut me off.”

“I know.”

“And I wanted more time, just the two of us.”

“So did I.”

“And I’ve so enjoyed having you to myself.”

“I know.”

“Plus people aren’t going to believe us.”

“I-what do you mean?”

She shook her head, and he pushed the hair to the other side of her neck, giving him a better picture of her face. 

“We said we weren’t going to tell anyone we were dating, because of your history and…” She trailed off, but Oliver nodded.

“I remember.”

“But now they’re going to think we got engaged because you got me-” she stops herself from saying the word, swallowing thickly. “They’re not going to understand that we were having great ‘Yay we’re engaged’ sex when the condom broke.”

“You’re jumping ahead a few steps,” he reminded her, eyes glancing at the cabinet under the sink where he knew she kept a few tests on hand, just in case. 

“I’m not ready to take it yet.”

“Why not?”

“Because I know it’s going to be positive.” She leaned her head into her knees and he ran a finger up her spine. 

“You think?” He was careful to keep himself from smiling. 

“I know,” she grumbled. “I know my body. Can’t I just pretend it’s food poisoning for one more night?”

“Okay,” he agreed, helping her to her feet and supporting her back into her bedroom. He crawled to his side and wrapped an arm around her. He noticed how she winced when his fingers grazed her stomach, even though that had always been their natural resting place. 

“Tommy’s going to kill me,” Oliver murmured into her skin, trying to distract her. 

“Why would my brother kill you?” she hummed. “It’s just food poisoning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I couldn't sleep a few nights ago and was reading Tommy and Felicity brother/sister fic and none of them really did what I was hoping to find. The closest was Small Hitch, which I'm citing as inspiration for this story. So in true me fashion, I decided to just write what I was looking for myself. 
> 
> It all came out very quickly, and I'd written the whole thing in around 24 hours. I'm thinking I'm going to turn it into a series where Oliver and Felicity tell the various people in their lives and have to deal with the drama and fall out or fluff. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and are staying safe and healthy.


	2. Chapter One

It wasn’t food poisoning. She passed out two days later. She had been coming out of the library with her roommate and fellow grad student, Iris West, when, according to Iris, she’d lost all coloring, her eyes had rolled back into her head, and she just dropped. An ambulance was called, then Oliver. He met her and Iris at the hospital. She’d regained consciousness and was sitting in bed with a crinkle in her forehead, as she played with her engagement ring. 

With profound apologies, Iris left, and Felicity didn’t hold it against her. She knew it was finals. Oliver took her hand and squeezed her fingers. Felicity squeezed back. 

“They did a blood draw,” she told him. 

He nodded. “Will they be able to tell?”

“More accurately than an at-home test.”

They didn’t have to wait long. Less than twenty minutes later a doctor arrived with their results. He put her at five weeks, explaining that they considered the first day of her last period to be the beginning of the pregnancy, even though they hadn’t conceived till two weeks later. Oliver nodded, pretending to listen while watching his fiancee closely. She asked a series of clipped questions. 

She’d been drinking caffeine and alcohol. Shouldn’t be anything to worry about. It happened but she should still go see an OB as soon as possible. Was passing out common? Yes if you had severe morning sickness. Drink lots of ginger tea, try to eat and drink more, take it easy, and call an OB as soon as possible. What about prenatal vitamins? Start taking them and call an OB as soon as possible. 

“I took the morning after pill when the condom broke,” Felicity stated, trying to keep her voice calm. “Would that affect the overall health of...the baby?”

The doctor hesitated, looking between them for a moment. His eyes settling on their entwined fingers and Felicity’s ring. 

“Not likely. The morning after pill just releases a hormone to stop ovulation if it hasn’t occurred. If it already has, there’s really nothing to be done, and it doesn’t affect the baby but still, you should-”

“Talk to an OB as soon as possible?” Oliver supplied, cutting him off.

“Yes,” the doctor said, focusing on Felicity. “Especially if you do not wish to go forward with the pregnancy.”

Silence.

“Do you have any more questions?”

Felicity shook her head.

“I’ll have a nurse bring you some pamphlets and a list of OBs that accept your insurance.”

Silence stretched between them again, after he left.

“If you wanted to have an abortion,” Oliver began slowly. “I wouldn’t hold it against you. I know this is not great timing for you.”

She squeezed his fingers.

“And how would you feel if I didn’t have an abortion?”

He couldn’t stop the smile from twitching across his face. He glanced at her and knew she’d seen it. He didn’t need to put words to it. 

“We’ll need to figure out how to convince everyone we’re not together just because I’m pregnant.” 

“Who cares what they think.”

“You should. If we don’t convince Tommy, he’ll kill you.”

“He’ll kill me either way,” Oliver muttered, spreading his fingers across her abdomen. He felt her tense for a moment before she relaxed. He leaned in and kissed her lightly. “Worth it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It occurs to me know that this chapter and the first one are very short and I probably should have combined them. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20, and no one is perfect. Hopefully, you'll forgive me, especially since Chapter 3 is going to be on the long side.
> 
> Let me say the response to this story so far has blown my mind. It has over 800 views, after one chapter! You guys, I feel so honored. Thank you all for reading. I love and appreciate the kudos and the comments, even if I don't have time to respond to all of them. I hope you continue to enjoy and that you stay safe and healthy.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, my lovely readers! Let me say that the response to this story continues to overwhelm me. I had no idea there'd be such an audience for it. Thank you all for the views, the kudos, and the comments. I love and appreciate you all. 
> 
> As promised this chapter is longer, and Tommy is finally making an appearance! 
> 
> Please stay safe and healthy and happy reading!

Tommy glanced at his phone. He had a few emails and a text from Laurel. She was setting up a dinner date for later that day, asking if he’d make reservations. He already had. He took a few seconds to tell her so, before setting down the offending piece of tech and glaring at it. He was willing it to ring, ding, anything, with a message from Felicity or from his father. 

He’d sent the email last night, over a bottle of wine with Laurel. He’d obsessed over it for days, pouring over it, making Laurel read it once, twice, a third time, before draining his glass and finally hitting send. 

_ Dear Dad and Felicity, _

_ I have given this a lot of thought and I’d like to get dinner with both of you, at the same time, in the same room, at the same table. I don’t expect you to make up or work everything out in one dinner, but it’s been almost six months. It’s time to take the first step. _

_ As I’m sure you’re aware my wedding is coming up, and Laurel and I would appreciate it if we didn’t have to go through the trouble of seating you at different tables. I love you both and after everything our family has been through, imposing another tragedy on ourselves, allowing what’s left of us to be torn apart, of our own free will, is not something I can abide.  _

_ I can make reservations at SALT for next week and I’ll even pay. Just come. Let me know what days work. _

_ From  _

_ Thomas Merlyn  _

Yet neither of them had responded. He was on the verge of calling Felicity or his dad and yelling. The only thing giving him pause was that he didn’t know which of them to start with. He was considering flipping a coin when his phone finally rang. He glanced at the caller ID and a smile broke across his previously crushed face.

“Ollie!” he said happily, pressing the device to his ear. 

“Hey man.” His best friend’s voice sounded pinched. 

“You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m just in the area and was wondering if I could swing by.”

“Define in the area.” Tommy leaned back in his chair, taking in his office at Merlyn Global. “Because I actually have something to show you, that’s not near my office.”

There was a pause for a beat. 

“I’m downtown.”

“Can you get to the Glades?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. I’ll text you the address and we’ll meet in thirty.” 

Half an hour later, Oliver was leaning against his Ducati outside his father’s old steel factory. His heart was pounding in his chest. He and Felicity had talked it over and agreed it was best to start with the people who would be the angriest. So first Tommy, then his mother. Then they’d move on to people who’d be happy. So second Thea and  _ her  _ mother. 

Tommy was the trickiest one to tell. He and Felicity had gone around and around for hours, trying to decide what was the best method. Should Oliver tell him? Should Felicity? Should they do it together? Finally, Oliver said it would be better coming from him. Felicity hadn’t done anything wrong. It was Oliver who’d betrayed Tommy’s trust and it was Oliver who had to face the music. Really Oliver felt that Tommy deserved the chance to be angry at him, to probably even take a swing at him, and he didn’t want to deprive Tommy of that opportunity by hiding behind Felicity. 

Tommy’s car pulled up.

“Care to tell me what we’re doing outside my dad’s old factory?” Oliver called as his friend got out of the car, keys in hand. 

“Correction,” Tommy said, a grin cracking across his face. “Why are we outside  _ our  _ old factory?”

Oliver frowned, forgetting what he’d come here to talk to him about. 

“I had a thought,” Tommy said, walking past Oliver, approaching the deadbolt and inserting a key, “And I ran it past your dad and he basically was like anything that will get Ollie working, and he gave us this for the low low price of nothing.” 

“Okay,” Oliver said, walking through the door Tommy held open. “But why do we need an abandoned steel factory?”

The place looked rough. It had seen better days. 

“Keep an open mind,” Tommy said, walking to the center of the room and pointing to the back wall. “The bar goes there, VIP section over there,” he turned pointing up a set of rickety stairs, and here is-”

“A dance floor,” Oliver finished. He turned to the wall with the large windows at the top, “And a DJ booth over there.”

“Yes!” Tommy said, hitting Oliver’s arm. “You can picture it right!”

“Yep,” Oliver said, almost popping the P like Felicity. “You want to open a club.”

“I want  _ us _ to open a club. And before you say no,” Tommy said in a rush, holding out two fingers. “We’ve been through enough clubs to know what a good scene is, and the cash influx it would need would not even come close to putting a dent in your trust fund.”

“It’s not the money that concerns me,” Oliver muttered, thinking about how much more complicated their situation would be if they were also in business together. 

“Look man, I know you don’t want to go corporate. I didn’t want to either and it was a huge mistake that you can now help me get out of and I can now help you avoid. If you keep up with this playboy, jumping from investment to investment attitude, living off dividends and interests, your parents will eventually force you into QC. But if you have a project, one you actually like, they won’t have a leg to stand on and you can skip the business suit and future CEO nightmare.”

“Things are going that well at Merlyn Global?” Oliver said, quirking an eyebrow.

“Dude it’s hell being that close to my dad after everything that happened with Felicity, that neither of them will tell me about. Even if you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for me.”

“I love the idea Tommy and I hear what you’re saying, but there’s something I should tell you first.”

Just then Tommy’s phone started to ring.

“Sorry it’s Felicity,” he said, his heart jumping into his throat, and he turned away from Oliver, pressing the phone to his ear. “Hey Lis.”

“You sound calm,” she said slowly.

“Of course I’m calm. Why wouldn’t I be calm? Did you think I was freaking out because you and Dad didn’t answer my email?”

“What email?”

“Oh come on, I sent it last night. Don’t pretend you didn’t see it. I know you’re a techie and always glued to a device connected to the internet.”

“Why would you send an email to dad  _ and  _ me?”

“You’d know that if you read it.” 

“Hold on.”

There was a shuffling sound on the other end of the line and clacking of keys. Tommy turned, mouthing an apology to Oliver.

“No.” Felicity’s voice cut clearly over the phone. 

“That’s it, just no?”

“I have enough to deal with, without adding a dinner from hell to my schedule Tommy.”

“I’m asking as your brother to please do this for our family.”

“You’re my family. He’s not.”

“Then just do it for me.”

“Absolutely not. You have no right to demand this from me. Especially when you don’t even know what happened.”

“Then tell me,” he growled. Oliver winced in the corner. 

“Not my place. If you want to know, ask him. But it doesn’t matter. This isn’t the best time to have this conversation. I’ll let you get back to Oliver.” There was a click and she was gone. 

Tommy looked at his phone in confusion. How had she known he was with Oliver?

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” Tommy turned back to his friend. “I just asked Lis to get dinner with me and Dad.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow. He avoided talking too much about his sister to his best friend. It was an old habit he’d developed around the time Felicity entered high school their Junior year when she’d first started to look grown-up. Though she wasn’t Oliver’s type, he instinctively wanted to protect her from the guy Ollie was, or technically who he used to be. Oliver hadn’t said much but over the last few months, he’d noticed a sharp decline in the number of brunettes treating the man’s arm like a revolving door. 

“I don’t know if I told you but he cut her off almost six months ago.”

“Really?” 

Tommy frowned, finding something odd about Oliver’s tone. 

“Yeah, something about how she needed to focus on building the company up rather than getting her Masters. He said he wasn’t going to pay for her to go to grad school at Starling U after sending her to MIT.”

“I thought he’d want her to get the computer engineering degree. Isn’t that like how you invent the hot tech he wants to sell?”  
“Yeah,” Tommy said, frowning. “How did you know she was studying computer engineering?”

A look Tommy couldn’t interpret flashed over Oliver’s face. But then he shrugged looking relaxed.

“It’s Felicity. What else would she be getting her master’s in.”

“Right,” Tommy said, dragging out the word slowly, his eyes fixed on his best friend. Felicity knew he’d been with Oliver. She’d called asking if he was calm without having read his email. Oliver knew what Felicity was majoring in, and had easily accepted that Malcolm Merlyn would have cut off his daughter. True his dad was an asshole but even Oliver had to know Merlyn prided Felicity’s intellect, which is what made her being cut off for going to grad school so strange. It almost seemed like Oliver already knew. 

“Stupid question. Have you two been in contact?”

Tension mounted.

“Yes.” It was all Oliver could say. His mouth had gone dry. 

Tommy stiffened. 

“Have you been screwing her?”

Oliver didn’t answer, and Tommy felt his body temperature go up. He took a step towards him. Oliver swallowed.

“Have you been screwing  _ my sister _ ?” Tommy repeated, his voice deadly.

“I think she’d prefer the term dating,” Oliver said slowly. 

“You’ve been screwing my sister.”

“Okay. I think it’s important here that you understand I haven’t been sleeping with her because she’s an easy lay. Tommy, I really love her and-”

The rest of the sentence was cut off when Tommy’s fist connected with Oliver’s jaw. 


	4. Chapter Three

The first thing Felicity heard when she arrived at the police station a few hours later was her brother’s voice carrying all the way from the holding cell into the lobby.

“I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU QUEEN!” 

“Hi,” she said to the receptionist who jumped. “I’m Felicity Merlyn. I’m here to pick up my fiance and brother.” 

“Right,” the woman said, giving Felicity the once over. “Your fiance is free to go as soon as he’s done giving his statement to Detective Lance, but your brother will need bail.”

“Of course,” she muttered, stepping around the reception desk and making her way into the bull pin. She could see Tommy in holding, face pressed up against the glass, glaring at Oliver, who was pointedly looking anywhere else. He was in a seat next to Detective Lance’s desk. Felicity noticed his black eye and swollen lip, as she approached. 

“Detective Lance,” she called, trying to keep her voice chipper. “What will Laurel say when she hears you arrested her fiance and not her ex-boyfriend?”

“Yeah well,” Lance muttered, not looking up from his computer. “Hard to justify arresting both of them when Merlyn was the one doing the punching and Queen here was just letting him.”

“I don’t want to press charges,” Oliver muttered, scrubbing his hands across his face and wincing. Felicity rubbed his shoulder.

“DON’T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER!” Tommy screamed. Lance glanced at Tommy, then at Oliver and Felicity. 

“Anyone want to tell me what this is about?” he asked. Felicity ignored the question and stepped up to holding, laying a quick rap against the glass. 

“Hey,” she said, her brother’s angry face inches away from hers. “You want to calm down?”

“No. I really don’t,” Tommy growled. 

“Even if you aren’t pressing charges, he’ll need to pay a fine for disorderly conduct and I am not letting him out till he’s calmed down. Laurel would kill me if I let him wind up in prison for murder before the wedding,” Lance called. 

“Tommy,” Felicity said warningly. 

“I’m going to kill him,” Tommy muttered. “Choke him with my bare hands.”

“Tommy.”

“My sister, Queen? REALLY? There weren’t enough models for you to fuck around with, you had to go after my baby sister?” 

Felicity turned away from the holding cell to look at Oliver who was staring at the floor.

“How far did you get?” she asked. Tommy growled at her words, and she winced realizing how the phrasing sounded. Oliver blew past it, as he did whenever she made an accidental innuendo. 

“I told him I love you, and then he punched me in the face.”

“You said she was an easy lay,” Tommy spat behind her, and Oliver got to his feet, temper rising. Felicity pressed a hand to his chest to stop him from advancing. 

“I did not.”

“Yes, you did.”

“I would never.”

“Would you both shut up,” Lance snapped. “It’s hard enough to write without having to listen to stupid squabbles over a bro code.” 

“Oliver,” Felicity muttered, rubbing her head with her free hand. Oliver glanced at her then leaned back to get a better look at her face. He took in the dark circle and pale skin.

“You should sit,” he said, stepping away from the chair. She took it gratefully. He pulled another one up from another desk and sat beside her, entwining their fingers.

“I thought I told you not to touch her.” 

“How much is his bail going to be?” Felicity asked. Lance shrugged.

“Probably between $750 and a thousand.”

“Shit,” she muttered, running through her bank statements in her head. She’d been working consulting gigs in her off time but between the loan payments and keeping rent and food covered, she didn’t have a lot leftover. 

“I can pay it,” Oliver said. 

“Yeah, the guy he’s in jail for beating up can pay the bail. That’s normal,” Lance said.

“Let him pay the bail. It’ll make it that much sweeter when I kill him.”

“I already called Laurel,” Lance said, ignoring Tommy. “She’ll come swooping in here with her lawyer face on any second, so you don’t have to worry about it. You doing okay there Merlyn? You’re looking pale.”

“I’m fine,” she waved her hand in front of her face, closing her eyes for a moment. Oliver pressed her purse into her hand, and she pulled out a ginger candy. 

“I just need to know what you were doing in the Glades,” the detective said, directing himself to Oliver now. 

“Discussing a business opportunity,” Oliver muttered. He felt a little crushed. The club had been a good idea, and now it probably wasn’t going to happen. 

“I’m going to fucking destroy you.”

Yeah, it definitely wasn’t going to happen. 

“Oh shut up Tommy,” Felicity huffed. “I’m a grown woman and this overprotective toxic male thing is really annoying.” 

“Tommy! What the hell!” An angry voice called. A click of heels emanated from the floor, and Laurel Lance made her way across the bull pin. She glanced at Tommy in holding, her father who’d pointedly returned to typing, to Oliver’s bruised and bloody face, to Felicity, and then finally to Oliver and Felicity’s hands, still clasped together. Her mouth popped open for a second. 

“We should go,” Felicity said, getting back to her feet and pulling Oliver up as well. “Unless you needed anything else, Quintin.”

“You’re good.”

“Great,” she started dragging Oliver out of the precinct before anyone could say anything else. 

“THIS IS NOT OVER QUEEN. I’M GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE AND I’M COMING FOR YOU. AND IF I FIND ONE HAIR OUT OF PLACE ON FELICITY’S HEAD I’M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU.”

“Tommy, as your lawyer, I have to advise you to stop threatening your assault victim in front of so many police officers and witnesses.”

“So,” Felicity began when they made their way to the sidewalk. “Sounds like telling him went great.”

Oliver smiled, then instantly winced. 

“We should get you to Dig,” Felicity said, sadly, and pulled out her phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again the response to this story is blowing my mind. Most of you weren't even that mad when I ended on that cliffhanger. Thank you all for your comments and kudos and for taking the time to read. 
> 
> This was probably my favorite chapter, and as you can see, Tommy continues to not take it well when he still doesn't have the full story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please stay safe and healthy!


	5. Chapter Four

John Diggle was Oliver Queen’s bodyguard. Moira had hired him three years ago after Oliver and Tommy had been kidnapped and held for ransom. The police had found and rescued them, but they’d been missing for a terrifying 36 hours. Tommy joked about it a lot, but the experience had clammed Oliver up. He’d moped till John had offered to train him in hand to hand combat, to get the frustration out. Years later it was still the only thing that made him feel in control. 

That was how Oliver now found himself pinned beneath his bodyguard on training mats, in the Diggle Family basement. Felicity had run around the corner to get some coffee, instead of opting to sit with Dig’s wife Lyla. Oliver suspected it was because she didn’t want to be around Lyla who was heavily pregnant, and due in just over a month.

“So,” Dig said. “When you told me it was perfectly safe and that you didn’t need me to come with you to talk to Tommy, you were full of it right?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Oliver growled, managing to throw Dig off and flip back up. 

“Man,” Dig said, setting up to run the drill again. “You had to know he was going to take a swing at you, and Felicity said on the phone you didn’t even put up a fight.”

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Oliver grumbled. “If I had, I’d have been arrested too. Besides, we both know Tommy isn’t exactly trained. He couldn’t actually hurt me.” 

He managed to knock Digg’s foot out from under him and extended his hand to help him up. 

“Almost seems like you wanted him to hit you.”

“It was inevitable.”

“Wouldn’t have been if you’d just told him from the beginning.”

“You always love an ‘I told you so.’” 

“I got it when you first started dating, no point in freaking Tommy out about you seeing his sister if it was not going to work out, but you fell in love with that girl quick, after like three weeks. Hell, you bought that ring you gave her after your fourth date.”

“I remember.”

“You should have told him then.”

Olive threw a punch and was surprised it was not wild or uncontrolled. It slipped past Dig’s defenses and made contact. It knocked Dig off balance, and Oliver used the vulnerability to get behind Dig, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and grabbing his head, effectively disabling him.

“Not bad form,” Dig commented.

“Especially since you’re trying to rile me up.” Oliver released him.

They both paused hearing the footsteps upstairs. Moments later the door opened and Felicity came down. 

“Lyla says you both have to come up because she’s quote-unquote the size of a tank, and is not going to make it down these stairs.” 

Dinner consisted of Big Belly Burger, a favorite of Felicity’s, and an easy walk from the Diggle household. Upon seeing Oliver, Lyla tossed him a bag of frozen peas for his face, without comment. Dinner was tense, as Oliver listened to Lyla and Dig talk about various pregnancy-related problems and things they were still trying to take care of. He could feel Felicity stressing next to him, and squeezed her knee under the table. It was a relief when Dig dropped them off at Felicity’s apartment. 

Caitlin was deeply immersed in her textbook when they arrived. Iris was brewing a pot of coffee, typing away furiously at a laptop. Neither showed any sign of noticing them as they moved through the apartment. 

“What’s with them?”

“Finals,” Felicity muttered, pulling out her phone. 

“Sorry, you should be studying.”

“I worked on my project while you were with Dig. It’s fine. My coursework isn’t exactly challenging this semester.”

He opened her mouth to argue, but her phone started to ring. She glanced at the caller ID and winced, popping in her headphones and accepting the call.

“They let you out for good behavior?”

“The hell are you thinking?” 

“Tommy-”

“He’s slept with half the city.”

“So? You slept with the other half.” 

“He’s not good enough for you.”

“That’s a lovely thing to say about your best friend.”

“Felicity Megan Merlyn! You have to end this.” 

“No.”

“Felicity I swear if you don’t-”

“What? You’ll have Dad cut me off  _ again _ ? Makes no difference to me.” 

“You know I wouldn’t do that.”

“It’s my life Tommy.” 

“I can’t talk to you about this over the phone. I’m coming over.”

“No.”

“Is he there?” 

“Yes.”

There was a pause. 

“I’m going to kill him.” 

“You’re not killing my fiance.”

Oliver’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. 

“He PROPOSED!” 

“Yes.”

“Are you pregnant?”

“You assume that’s the only reason he’d want to marry me.”

“I know Oliver and he wouldn’t want to get married unless he had to.”

“What a lovely thing to say.”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“What question?”

“Are you pregnant?” 

She hesitated. 

“Yes.” 

There was the sound of screeching tires and then sirens.

“Tommy!”

“Shit!” her brother snapped. “I just swerved into the other lane.”

“Are you okay?” 

Oliver reached out and soothed the spot on her brow. She hadn’t even noticed it was crinkling.

“I’m fine, except there was a cop behind me. Shit. Who the fuck gets arrested twice in one day?”

“You do.” 

“I’ll call you back.” 

The line went dead. She popped out her headphones and fell back on her pillows. Oliver wrapped an arm around her.

“Did you tell him?”

She nodded. He pressed a kiss into her forehead. When there was angry pounding at the door twenty minutes later they both knew who it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a lot of people have commented that Felicity should have told Tommy. I am a million percent in agreement, but Oliver is a masochist and just would not cooperate with that plan. I hope you all enjoyed a little bit of character development for him and his back story. Just having him changed from party boy to responsible adult overtime didn't feel natural, and it's the Arrow, someone had to be kidnapped at some point, otherwise, what are we all doing here. 
> 
> The comments, kudos, and views on this story are crazy amazing! I'm so touched you're all taking the time to read and enjoy it so much! I appreciate all your support and that you're on this wonderful journey with me. 
> 
> And if you're upset with the cliff hanger, I promise the next chapter will be very satisfying. Many of your questions will be answered. Please stay safe and healthy!


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I normally post on Tuesdays but I was working on some later installations in this series and I just got too excited to post this chapter. I'm sure none of you will complain! Happy reading and please stay safe and healthy!

Tommy could hear a voice on the other side of the door. “Did one of you order a pizza and if so can I have some?” The door swung open and Tommy was face to face with one of his sister’s roommates. If he’d been in a better mood he’d have been able to remember her name. 

“Where’s Felicity?” 

“And you are?” the redhead asked, moving to block the door. 

“Her brother.” 

“Felicity,” she called over her shoulder. “There’s a guy here saying he’s your brother.”

Tommy heard the sound of a door opening and then Oliver was there. Tommy’s fists tightened automatically. 

“Jesus Oliver what happened to your face,” the woman demanded. 

“Don’t worry about it, Caitlin. Tommy, come in.”

“I’ll worry about it if I want to,” she pointed to his lip. “That looks like it needs stitches.”  
“I’m good Cait. Don’t you need to study for that human anatomy final?”

“Shit,” she muttered moving out of the way and running back into the apartment. “Iris, can you order a pizza.”

“Where’s my sister?” Tommy growled. 

“Bathroom, come on.” Oliver jerked his head and moved into the apartment. Tommy followed and took in the mismatched cheap furniture. Oliver moved around easily, and Tommy ground his teeth, realizing Oliver was a common fixture in this apartment. He opened the door at the end of the hallway and stepped back letting Tommy in. 

Though he’d had the address since she’d moved at the start of her grad school program, Tommy had never been in this apartment before. He took in his sister’s room. Everything looked old, older than a year. Thrift store used, Felicity would probably say. He saw familiar items from Felicity’s former life and MIT days, clothes and shoes and a bench she’d fallen in love with at an old antique store in Boston. Her computer monitors set up on a desk she’d had since middle school. But it was the presence of other familiar items in the space that truly threw Tommy for a loop.

He recognized a Stephen King novel on the far bedside table as more Oliver’s speed than his sister’s. Next to it sat tape for sparing and wrapping minor injuries. He noticed a green henley tossed on the bench at the end of the bed, and a brown leather jacket hanging off Felicity’s desk chair. Not to mention a pair of Oliver’s boots kicked over in the corner. 

Oliver was knocking at a door on the far side of the room. “Felicity?” he asked questioningly. Tommy heard a gagging sound and the confusion was replaced with outrage.

“You got her pregnant,” he hissed. Oliver didn’t turn around but pushed the door gently open. Tommy sat down on the bench, listening. He knocked the henley onto the floor and kicked it under the bed. 

“I don’t want to listen to the patriarchal crap. My stomach is already upset.”

“He’s just trying to show you he cares.”

“Can he do it in a less sexist way?” 

Tommy rolled his eyes. 

“I can hear you, Lis.” 

There was a pause, one more heave, and then his sister emerged from the bathroom, arms crossed, tired eyes shooting daggers at him. 

Oliver grabbed his jacket from the chair next to the desk. “I’m just going to go for a walk,” he muttered, kissing Felicity on the cheek as he pulled his arms into the sleeves. Tommy got up ready to punch him, but the blond moved between them, seeing the look in her brother’s eyes. 

“You hit him again, and I will hack into all your social media accounts and make your profile pics nothing but butts.” 

Tommy stepped back, twitching at her threat. Oliver slipped out unharmed and silence stretched between them till they heard him close the front door.

“Is he living here now?” Tommy demanded, gesturing around the room. 

“Since we found out about the pregnancy, yes, but he stayed over more nights than not before that.”

Tommy paled. He sat back down.

“How long?”

“I’m six weeks pregnant.” 

“No I mean...how long have you been together.”

“We started dating five months ago. He proposed four weeks ago.” 

Tommy’s brain started whirling, doing math in his head. Oliver had stopped bringing random girls to clubs and parties, making excuses about not going out, or ducking out of double dates, for the last few months. Suddenly it was all perfectly clear. He glanced at his sister’s left hand and saw the ring. She was twirling it on one finger, sitting slowly next to him on the bench waiting for him to respond.

“You were pregnant when he proposed,” Tommy observed, his suspicions confirmed.

“No, we-” she swallowed. “We conceived the night he proposed.” 

Tommy winced at the image. 

“The six-week thing has something to do with a strange medical jargon, where they consider the first two weeks, between your period start date and conception to be part of the pregnancy. I didn’t really understand it, and just said fine to get the ER doctor to stop talking.”

“You were in the emergency room?”

“I fainted just a little bit. It was fine, just low blood sugar because of the morning sickness. Oliver got me into an OB and she suggested these ginger candies. I’m doing better now.” 

“Five months, that’s almost half a year, Lis.” 

“I know.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“I was scared, you’d get mad at Oliver. You’ve always been so close and he’s like a brother to you. I didn’t want to get in the way of that, and please don’t be mad at him for lying to you. I asked him to not tell you.”

“How did this happen?”

“It was about six months ago after Dad cut me off. I was out at Max Fuller’s club.”

“You went to that cesspool! Lis, it’s in a bad part of town.”

“Says the man who wants to open a club in the Glades.” 

Tommy raised an eyebrow, suddenly registering that everything he said to one, the other would know too. He had to readjust his world.

“Anyway, I was falling down drunk and had this guy hanging all over me, when Oliver found me. He dragged me out of the bar, me kicking and screaming the whole way. And he was going on about how I shouldn’t be there, and I needed to be more careful, and I just lost it. I was weeping all over that stupid brown leather jacket of his.” 

Tommy smiled slightly. 

“And he took me to Big Belly Burger. His bodyguard has a sister in law who works there.”

“Oh, I know Carly. He takes me there all the time too.” 

“Anyway, I was drunk and I wound up telling him everything and he was very understanding and kind about it.”

“You told him everything?” Tommy failed to hide the hurt in his voice. She hadn’t even told him everything.

“Yeah, and he listened and made sure I got home. Then the next day he texted me and helped me find some coding clients and do some contractor work for QC. That way I could get money together for a security deposit and rent and food. He helped me out a lot in the beginning, and we talked almost every day. About a month later he asked me out and I said yes.”

Her brother rubbed his lips together.

“He wanted to tell you. I know he’s felt guilty about it.”

“But you didn’t want him to.”

“I mean I wanted to wait till we knew we were serious and then it got serious so fast I thought you’d be upset, and I kept pushing it off. Then he proposed and I said yes, and I knew we’d have to tell you soon. But then there was this thing with a broken condom and we were preoccupied with that, and I asked him to wait till we were certain everything was fine, but it went a different way, and by then so much had happened and it kept getting worse and worse and I-”

“You’re babbling.”

“Sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“Why Lis? It’s me. I’m your brother. You’re supposed to be able to tell me everything and know I’ll still love you.”

“I do know that.”

“Then why are you keeping secrets from me. You’ve been in the most serious relationship of your life for half a year and actively didn’t tell me. You found out you’re pregnant and hid it. You got engaged and didn’t bring it up. I haven’t ever even set foot in this apartment before. Hell, you won’t even tell me why you and Dad aren’t talking.”

She bit her lip, a crinkle appearing on her forehead. He shook his head, knowing he’d touched on the root of the problem. Keeping that one secret from him had pushed her into keeping him at arm's length, allowed her to hide Oliver and every other important aspect of her life from him.

“We used to be so close,” he said. Tears were forming in her eyes, and she wiped them away.

“Hormones?” he asked. She hit his arm.

“No. It’s just, I don’t want to lose you.”

He squeezed her knee. 

“You never could.” 

She nodded.

“Do you remember when I was born?” 

Tommy frowned. She was about four years younger than him. They’d only gone to high school together because she’d skipped so many grades. He remembered her as a baby, but couldn’t recall the day she was actually born.

“Not really. I was little. I remember you crying a lot.”

“That’s because Mom didn’t give birth to me. Dad had an affair.” 

Tommy’s eyebrows shot up. 

“I don’t understand.”

“My birth mother is a cocktail waitress in Vegas, that  _ Malcolm _ apparently met on a business trip.” She said his name with such hatred, it filled Tommy’s stomach with lead. “When mom found out about Donna, that’s her name, Donna Smoak, they sued for custody. They took me away the day after she gave birth. Never contacted her again.”

“Felicity,” Tommy whispered, not knowing what else to say. His arm wrapped around her shoulder. 

“I found the court records, when I was trying to get into my old school files on a dare, as part of this online community I belong to. When I confronted Dad about it, he acted like it was no big deal, like I shouldn’t care.” Felicity carefully avoided using the word hacking or hacker. Her brother didn’t know about that part of her life.

“I can’t believe mom didn’t leave him.”

“You remember what she was like, so forgiving, and I’m sure she was thinking of you, that I was your sister.”

“But why did he cut you off?”

“I reached out to Donna Smoak. I’ve been in contact with her.”

“And Dad was pissed?”

“Livid. When I told him I was going to find her, he said if I did, I’d never see another cent, and I told him I’d rather live with kangaroos than ever be associated with him again.”

“I always forget your kangaroo thing.” 

His sister let out a huff that almost sounded like a laugh. 

“Lis? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t know how you’d react. I mean, I’m only related to you through him and we both know what he’s like, and I was scared of what you’d say when you realized I didn’t have any of Mom in me. Plus I didn’t want to taint your memory of her. She essentially lied to us our whole lives and took me away from Donna to cover for it. You know what, maybe I don’t want to be like her after all.”

“You’re kind and thoughtful and give everyone around you joy. That was the best part of her. The rest of it, I’ll give you, isn’t great and I hope it’s something neither of us has inside us.”

“Google willing.” Her hand drifted to her abdomen as she spoke. Tommy felt a smile tug at his lips.

“What’s Donna like?”

“Very different. I can see why dad slept with her. I’ve never seen her modestly dressed, and she talks a lot. She’s very squeaky and easily excited. She was so happy to hear from me though. She sent me a box with cards she got me on each of my birthdays. She’d probably have been a good mom.”

Tommy wrinkled his nose. 

“That makes what they did way worse I know, believe me. I’ve thought about this a lot.”

“What did she say about the baby?”

Felicity tensed. “I haven’t told her. We’re not there yet.” 

He nodded.

“Ollie knows about all of this though?” 

“Yes. He’s been a great support system.” 

“Ollie?”

She gave him a shove. 

“Sorry,” Tommy said, throwing his arms up in defense. “I always thought he had the emotional capacity of a thumbtack.”

“Maybe before,” she trailed off and Tommy inhaled sharply. 

“Right.”

“Besides, we all know Robert Queen has gotten around. If anyone understands parental affairs and secret-keeping…”

“Yeah, I guess.” He paused. “He really proposed?”

“Yes,” she answered, a smile breaking across her pale drained face. “And he’s really excited about the baby. He tries to hide it because he knows I’m still processing, but he gets this dopey grin every time it comes up.”

“That doesn’t sound like my Ollie.”

“No, but it sounds like my Oliver.” She leaned her chin on his shoulder, wrapping her arm around his. “Please don’t hate him.”

Tommy shook his head. “Fine, but I do get to be mad at him for a while.”

“Very reasonable.” 

“You’re doing okay though? No more passing out?”

“Nope, just the vomiting.”

“Okay, but Lis, if you wind up in the ER again, please call me.”

“I will, promise.” 

He kissed her forehead and stood up. “Will you be okay if I leave you? I have to get back to Laurel. She’s worried I’m off committing a murder. But if you need I can wait till Ollie gets back.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m pregnant, not a child. Besides it’s finals, and I should do some work.”

“Alright. Call me tomorrow though.”

“Promise.” 


	7. Epilogue

Oliver was waiting by Tommy’s car when he came out of the building.

“I see you didn’t make it far on your walk,” Tommy observed. 

“I’m sorry,” Oliver said, with a sigh. “I know I should have stayed away, that was what you’d have preferred but she just..”

“Pulled you in?” Tommy supplied. He’d known it was going to happen, at least on some level. It was why he’d always tried to keep them apart. 

“Like a goddamn magnet.” 

Tommy studied the look on Oliver’s face. He’d never seen his friend like this, hopelessly in love. Not even over Laurel, who he’d been with for years. 

“It’s okay.”

“Really?”

“No. Of course not, but it will be. I can see you’re in love with her, and it helps you decided to marry her before you got her pregnant. I just, need some time.” 

Oliver nodded understandingly and pulled himself off the car. Tommy unlocked it and opened the door. He turned back.

“But if you’re in for the club we should start interviewing contractors on Monday.” 

A smile cracked across Oliver’s face. 

“I’m in.”

“Great.”

He turned to get into the car but stopped. 

“Oliver!” 

Oliver turned away from the door to the building.

“If you hurt her I will kill you.”

He laughed.

“If I hurt her, I’d deserve it.” 

Tommy watched him enter the building, registering that he had his own set of keys. He was on his way to his fiancee, and Tommy needed to get home to his own. He shook his head, wondering when they’d grown up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter guys! I have to say the response to this story has been crazy amazing! I love all the comments and kudos. They've been the highlight of my writing process, so thank you all for that. If you're interested the next story in the series should be up later this week, and I hope you'll all continue on this journey with me. Moira will be next! 
> 
> The title comes from the song "Let Me Down Slowly" by Alec Benjamin.
> 
> Stay safe and healthy and enjoy your reading!


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